Improvement in ship-building



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. DEGGES, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA..

IMPROVEMENT IN SHIP-BUILDING.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,*294, dated April 28, 1863.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, WILLIAM H. DEGGEs, of the city of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Construction of Vessels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference bein g had to the accompan yin gdrawl ings and to theletters and marks thereon.

Thedrawings, forming part of this specification, show, by Figure l a bottom view of a vessel constructed in accordance with my invention, and by Fig. 4 a transverse section of the same, the section being on a line drawn just behind the engine. Figs. 2 and 3 are views of the propeller intended to be used in connection with the vessel.

In each of these drawings where -like parts are shown, like letters are used to indicate the parts.

The ends a and b of this vessel are both sharp, or are like bows, and have rudders c and d, so that the vessel may be driven in either direction as may be desired. The deck e is arched. It will be noticed that instead of the usual continuous curved-line sides of vessels from the deck lo the keel, thesides fof this vessel have recesses c/in which are placed the propellers h. That part ofthe sides above the propeller-space may havea keel,, as shown, or may be of a somewhat different line from that shown. The line of the bilge j may also vary from what is shown, and although the recesses will extend through the entire length of the vessel the propellers may occupy but a portion thereof. The propellers may be driven by independent engines by toothed wheels k and L or by cranks, the means for operating them that-pass through the sides of the vessel being suitably protected by watertight casin gs.

The recesses g occur from the peculiar construction -ot this vessel, and while they form a space for the propeller and water-way, they add to the buoyancy, the capacity, and the strength of the vessel. They also allow ota vessel of any specified tonnage bein gmade for shallow water, as the breadth of beam will be g1 eater than in ordinary vessels. In ocean vessels greater steadiness will exist and an easier riding on the wave with an increased degree of speed. It will readily be seen, too, that the iron-clad or monitor 7 class of vessels may be constructed on this plan, as the propeller will be fully sheltered, the engine readily protected, and the vesselbe strong and staunch, the arched deck, in connection with the recessed form of the sides, adding greatly to the strength of the vessel. Vessels of any and every size may be constructed on this plan either ofwood and timber, or of metal, either alone or in connection with wood. 4It made of wood the timbers for the ribs can be hewn, or can be steamed and bent to the form necessary to pass from the keel or keelson to the deck; and if made of cast1netal or of wroughtmetal the timbers can readily be made to the required form. Vessels made on this plan can e'ectually be used as rams, and the vessel can be sunk to the edge of the deck, leaving the base on which the turret moves on the arch of the deck when the turret is five feetabove the water.

WhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, as an improvement `in the construction ot' vessels, is-

So forming the sides thereof as that recesses continuous throughout the length of the vessel will exist therein, as and for the purposes herein set forth.

This specication signed this 1st day of April, 1863.

. W. H. DEGGES. Witnesses:

THos. T. EVEEETT, J oHN S. HoLLINGsHEAD. 

